Korie was my RN from triage through delivery. I got to Labor and Delivery around 8:30 pm. It was a full moon, and the unit was very busy. Korie was extremely personable and made me feel at ease. It took a couple of hours to get a room, but she was constantly checking on me to make sure both my husband and I were comfortable.

After we got to a room, Korie knew I was not comfortable on my back, but that was the only place we could hear a heartbeat. She went and got the wireless monitor so that I might be able to sleep some. By 1:15, Pitocin was started. I started to contract, but nothing major. After some time, she came back in to up the dosage. Contractions started to really kick in. I quickly asked for an epidural. It was painful, but Korie was there holding my hands the entire time. She helped me relax my body because it would tense up every time the anesthesiologist touched it.

Everything escalated so quickly after the epidural, and not in a good way for me. I could feel the medications setting in, and suddenly I felt extremely dizzy and lethargic. Korie did not leave my side. She held my hand and kept reassuring me that I was going to be alright. My BP dropped, and I was unable to feel anything from the mid-neck down. I was in full panic mode, thinking I was dying. I looked over, and Korie was right there, being the support that my family and I needed. The room was filled quickly with several extra staff members due to my condition. My cervix was checked, and I was 10 centimeters dilated. I was so delirious that I didn't even fully understand what was happening.

The next thing I know, the doctor is telling me to push. I'm over here thinking about how I can push when I literally felt like I was dying. This whole time, Korie was still there, rooting for me and helping me during the process. Some may say that's her job, but the kindness, respect, and compassion she showed me during one of my lowest points was far beyond her scope of practice. Korie was the angel I needed. I was being told to push again, and that if I can't do it, an OR was being prepped for an emergency C-section. I could hear Korie, along with my husband and mom, telling me how strong I was and how I got this. I miraculously somehow pushed a human out of me while feeling like this was the end of my life.

I give credit to Korie for my not seeing the shining lights of the OR. All of this commotion happened in a 20-30 time span. After the room had settled down, Korie was there to explain to me what in the world I had just gone through. She checked on me constantly and stayed late to make sure that I was stable before transitioning to Mother Baby. The world needs more nurses and people like Korie.

Though my medical experience was rough, I would return to SPAH in a heartbeat, knowing the kind-hearted, compassionate staff they employ. I wasn't a room number to her. I was a person in need of support, and she saw that.

Thank you, Korie, for everything.